


as while as the stars

by freidynne



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Tickle Fights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:55:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27538729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freidynne/pseuds/freidynne
Summary: “Hey Than,” Zagreus speaks mid-strum into his lyre, disrupting the rhythm of the music he was so intent on learning. “When did you realize that you love me?”
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 287





	as while as the stars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mikochan_noda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikochan_noda/gifts).



> Title from Keiko Necesario's Forever Alive.
> 
> I wasn't planning on writing this but the art I commissioned from [galaxygaby22](https://twitter.com/galaxygaby22) as a present inspired me to make a companion piece. :)

“Hey Than,” Zagreus speaks mid-strum into his lyre, disrupting the rhythm of the music he was so intent on learning. “When did you realize that you love me?”

“When did you decide to be a musician?” Thanatos asks almost automatically in return, attention never leaving the tiny toy he has long gifted to his companion. The ownership of said toy remains debatable, Zagreus muses, as they are cherished partners now, and therefore, whatever Zagreus owns, Thanatos owns by extension.

But that is beside the point.

The point is that Than has not answered the question, and though evasion is a totally expected tactic from the ever-so-shy, ever-so-elusive God of Death (god of his heart, Zagreus cheekily calls him in secret, but Thanatos does not need to know that, at least, not until he gets over his habit of disappearing into thin air whenever he’s flustered), Zagreus is intent to get a response.

“Don’t change the subject,” he thus protests, fingers playing a rather angry-sounding chord for emphasis. “Besides, I wouldn't call myself a musician — that would be an insult to Orpheus. I am but another soul who happens to know how to fiddle with an instrument.”

Thanatos pauses from playing with Mort’s ratty ears to give Zagreus the same look he gives Hypnos whenever the latter downplays his productivity. “I beg to differ. You play rather well.”

The compliment makes Zagreus blush, just like any praise and word of affirmation from Than is wont to accomplish, but Zag quickly stomps the feeling of pride in his chest and squints at Death Incarnate lying quite comfortably on his bed.

”If you’re saying this just so I will drop the subject…”

“No, I am not. Why does it matter to you anyway?” Thanatos asks, arching his beautiful ashen brow at Zag’s direction, and oh, if he wasn’t being so difficult right now, Zagreus may actually let the inquiry go and just kiss him. Alas, there are questions that need to be answered.

“I’m curious is all,” Zagreus insists, shifting his body towards Than’s direction to give the death god a clear view of the practiced pout on his lips. He plucks a few sorrowful notes from the lyre for added effect.

Thanatos all but ignores him.

Zagreus pouts for real this time, setting the instrument down and plopping himself beside his beloved ( _His beloved!_ Oh, how would Than react if he knew Zag calls him that in secret too?) to sulk.

After a moment of silence — in which Thanatos continued to idly play with Mort’s frayed edges and in which the underworld prince hardened his resolve to get to the bottom of this issue (because if there is one thing he truly is proud of himself, it’s his tenacity) — Zagreus turns on his side to rest his head on his lover, who instinctively adjusts to accommodate the new position. From this angle, it is easier to admire Than’s curly silver lashes, his pretty golden eyes.

“If you don’t want to give a specific answer, can I make a few guesses instead?”

Thanatos hums a noncommittal reply, but moves his shoulder ever so slightly to cradle Zag’s head more comfortably. Zagreus takes this as a “yes” and drapes a lazy arm over Than’s chest.

“Was it when I handed you a bottle of ambrosia for the first time? I was surprised when you gave Mort in return, though I did not process the implications at the moment. But when I thought about how readily you gave Mort of all things… ah!” A dramatic pause. “So that means it happened before that.”

The conclusion pulls the corners of Zag’s lips into a sly smile, which Thanatos pointedly avoids, but there is no mistaking the faint glow dusting his cheeks. Zagreus takes this as a sign to press on.

“Was it when you gave me the pierced butterfly?”

Thanatos sets Mort down to boop Zag’s nose (a gesture which quite frankly is not Thanatos-like but Zagreus will not point that out because he is enjoying this secret soft side of Than — a side that he alone is privileged to see, thank you very much), and says, “If I remember correctly, I made it perfectly clear that I gave the keepsake only to make things even between us.”

“That is what you said, yes,” Zagreus agrees, pulling Thanatos closer by hooking their legs together, the warmth of his toes a stark contrast to the ice of Than’s skin. “But who knows if you just made that up because you were shy.”

“Are you calling me a liar now?”

“I have complete trust in your confidence and honesty, my love,” Zagreus concedes. Let him have his pride. Besides, Thanatos is adorable like this. Stubbornly in denial and still so painfully obvious. Cute.

Innocently and without any ulterior motive whatsoever, Zagreus lets his hands trail down Than’s side, before settling just above a sensitive spot on his torso.

Thanatos eyes him warily.

“What?”

“Stop whatever it is you’re planning to do,” Thanatos warns, nerves fluttering and body curling away from his lover in preparation for the onslaught that is to come.

“What? If I can’t get answers from you…” Zag’s mouth breaks into a playful smile. “Then I might as well just do _this_.”

Without missing a beat, Zagreus’ fingers launched into attack, dancing up and down Thanatos’ flesh with mischievous fervor. His efforts, unlike his line of questioning, produce the desired response almost immediately: Thanatos bursts into unrestrained peals of laughter, the corners of his eyes crinkling in glee. Oh, what a privilege to witness Than like this indeed!

“Z-Zag… please…!”

Thanatos tries to inch away from Zagreus, but the latter is relentless, as he always is whenever he sets his mind onto something. It is hard to stop teasing Than when he very rarely lets himself be vulnerable, when his laughter is as soft and infectious as the rest of him. This spurs Zagreus to deliberately ghost his hands over Than’s tickle spots to elicit more reaction.

“Oh, I know!” he smirks in between his delight. “It must have happened when you caught me fighting in Elysium, right? You must have thought, ‘Wow, I’ve never seen someone as dashing and ferocious as Zag’ and your heart must have thundered madly in your chest and then you decided to give me a centaur heart as an elaborate representation of your affections.”

Zagreus supposes Thanatos can readily refute this theory, reserved and evasive as he always is but right now, Death Incarnate is preoccupied and breathless and... He’s. Just. So. Cute. Like. This. Zagreus smiles at the sight and makes a mental note to send a heartfelt thanks to the Fates for weaving the threads that led him right at this very moment with Than. Whatever Zagreus did to deserve this, he does not know. Yet he will be forever grateful.

So engrossed was he with Thanatos’ joy that he did not have time to prevent Than from stealthily pinning him onto his back, hands wrapped securely around his wrists to prevent him from pulling away.

Positions reversed, Thanatos looms above him, eyes ever so perceptive and intense.

Zagreus swallows.

Thanatos stares.

After a stretch of silence in which Zagreus hoped that Than would lean down and just kiss him already, Thanatos murmurs, “Yes and no.”

“Uhh… what?”

“Yes and no,” Thanatos repeats and it takes Zagreus a few more moments to recall what they were even talking about. It’s so hard to focus on anything else when Than is looking at him like _that_.

“So you did realize it in Elysium,” Zagreus whispers in awe. Than rolls his eyes.

“Yes and no,” Thanatos says again, pressing his forehead against Zag’s own, his breath hot against Zag’s lips. “It’s… all of the above. Maybe a part of me knew I loved you before I found you in Elysium. Maybe I fell in love with you after that. But again, does it really matter?”

“It doesn’t,” Zagreus answers right away, because nothing actually matters right now except Thanatos and Zagreus and the excruciating distance between them and their lips. A distance Zagreus is determined to traverse. Eventually. “Because you love me now?” he asks instead.

“Yes, because I love you now,” Thanatos nods. He unwraps his hands from Zagreus wrists and entwines their fingers, letting their palms kiss. “I will love you 'forever,' as mortals sometimes promise. And I will love you still the day or night after forever and the day or night after the day or night after forever and… we have a whole eternity ahead of us, Zag.”

Zagreus gently brushes his nose against Than’s. “That is the most poetic and romantic thing you’ve ever said to me, my love.”

“Don’t make me reconsider my feelings.”

“What? You just promised me forever. No takebacks!”

“Alright.” Thanatos laughs again and it is the most beautiful thing Zagreus has ever heard. No offense to Orpheus and Eurydice.

And then Thanatos closes the distance between them — first with a soft brush of his lips against Zag’s, then with a long reverent kiss on the forehead, then several feather-like kisses on the cheek and down Zag’s neck, a clumsy peck on the chin, then a few more kisses upwards still until he claims Zag’s lips once again.

Between one kiss and the next, Zagreus whispers, “If it’s any consolation, I love you now and I will love you forever and I will love you still the day or night after forever and the day or night after the day or night after forever too.”

Thanatos blushes to the tips of his ears.

If Zagreus wasn’t sprawled under Death Incarnate right now, he might have played chords that sound like triumph. Or maybe songs that sound like love.


End file.
